Thomas



March 22, 1955 A THOMAS 2,704,602

MACHINES FOR SORTING STATISTICAL CARDS I I Filed Oct. 20. 1950 4' Sheets-Sheet l I n Ue n lor AWE/'Hue 7" #0,1745

Byy. Jiang A ttorney March 22, 1955 A. THOMAS 2,704,602

MACHINES FOR soRIING STATISTICAL CARDS Filed Oct. 20, 1,950 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 In venlor H@ rHf/e rdm/,4s

Attorney March 22, 1955 A, THOMAS 2,704,602

MACHINES FOR SORTING STATISTICAL CARDS Filed Oct. 20, 1950 4 Sheets-Sheet 5 Humm!! I 29a I By )L Attorney March 22, 1955 A. THOMAS '2,704,602

MACHINES FCR soRTINC STATISTICAL CARDS Filed Oct. 20. 1950 v 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 Byj L Lil-3 A Homey United States Patent O M MACHINES FOR SORTING STATISTICAL CARDS Arthur Thomas, Wallington, England, assgnor to Powers- Samas Accounting Machines Limited, London, England, a British company Application October 20, 1950, Serial No. 191,147

Claims priority, application Great Britain October 27, 1949 s Claims. (Cl. 209-110) This invention relates to machines for sorting statistical cards and more particularly to mechanism for controlling the sorting compartments in such machines.

In card sorting machines the cards are analysed or read by a sensing mechanism comprising a number of individual sensing members arranged in one or more columns, each sensing member being appropriated to a particular hole position on the card. Thus in the case of a card having twelve hole positions in each column, there will be twelve sensing members in each column in the sensing device.

Compartments are provided to receive the cards and each compartment is associated with a particular sensing member which controls it, conveniently by controlling the actuation of a shutter which normally serves to close the entrance to the compartment. When a sensing member senses or reads a hole in a card the corresponding shutter is opened thereby permitting the card to enter the compartment.

Since, however, the compartments are situated at varying distances from the sensing device it is necessary to provide means for delaying the opening of a compartment for a time equivalent to that taken by a card to reach the compartment from the sensing device in which it has been sensed for the purpose of determining the particular compartment which is to receive it.

To this end one form of card sorting machine has hitherto been provided with a settable device associated with each compartment to open the shutter thereof and mechanism controlled from the associated sensing member for setting this device. The setting mechanisms were xed and spaced with relation to their respective shutters by distances proportional to the distance between the sensing device and the particular compartment concerned.

The settable shutter operating devices were caused to move after being set and the arrangement was' such that by the time the settable device had moved from'the setting mechanism to the shutter the card had passed from the sensing device to the compartment in question and could, therefore, enter the compartment immediately on the opening of the shutter. Constructions operating in this manner are described in United States specifications Nos. 1,502,993 and 2,034,010.

In some sorting machines as heretofore constructed the rate of operation of the machine has been of the order of 400 cards per minute and at such speeds it is found that the machines are usually somewhat noisy in operation. The cards are fed from the magazine by a picker and as they issue from the magazine they are engaged by feed rollers which are rotatable at an angular velocity in relation to the main shaft of the machine the ratio of which is of the order of 3.5 :1 so that the cards are snatched from the picker and fed into the sensing chamber of the sensing mechanism at a linear speed greatly in excess of that at which they are moved by the picker. It is thought that with a machine operating in this manner there occurs in addition to normal mechanical noises a considerable noise caused by card tensioning as a card s snatched from the picker.

It is one object of the invention to reduce operational noise in a sorting machine operating at a speed of the order of 400 cards per minute and to effect such result by reducing the linear speed at which cards are fed into the sensing chamber and to this end the angular velocity of the rollers which snatch the cards from the picker is reduced relative to that of the main shaft so that it is of 3o the order of 2:1. However, as a result of the reduction 2,704,602 Ptented Mar. 22, 1955 of the speed at which the cards are delivered to the sensing chamber there follows a shorter interval which is available for sensing a card and transmitting a setting to the timing device for the shutter associated with the sorting compartment to which the card is to be delivered and the present invention provided an improved timing device for controlling a compartment of a sorting machine which device will remain effective to control the compartment after the setting impulse from the sensing device has ceased to be operative, the timing device being selfrestoring.

A further object of the invention is to provide an improved timing device for controlling a compartment of a sorting machine whereby the machine may be operated at a speed higher than that mentioned above. For example, when employing a timing device according to the invention the output of the machine may be increased from about 400 cards per minute to one of the order of 600 cards per minute. A machine operating at this increased output rate can be provided with snatching rollers operating at the reduced velocity above mentioned but at this higher rate of output the operational noises of the machine are greater than those which occur when the machine is operated at the lower rate of output.

According to the invention there is provided mechanism for controlling the shutter or other control member of a sorting compartment in a statistical card sorting machine comprising the combination with a shutter operating member carried on a rotatable member formed by a disc or the like, a setting member movable from an inactive to an active position by an impulse transmitted from a card sensing mechanism associated with the machine, an intermediate member arranged for engagement by the setting member when the latter is moved to its active position, said intermediate member when engaged by the setting member being movable to effect the setting of the shutter operating member, of means to retain the setting member in active position on termination of an impulse transmitted thereto from the sensing mechanism and restoring means movable in timed relation with the rotatable member positively to restore the setting member to inactive position after setting of the shutter operating member by the intermediate member.

In one embodiment of the invention the intermediate member is carried by the rotatable member.

In order that the invention may be more clearly understood embodiments thereof will now be described by way of example with reference to the accompanying diagrammatic drawings in which:

Figure 1 is a side elevation of a part of a statistical card sorting machine having the invention applied theret0,

Figure 2 is an enlarged fragmental perspective view showing the form of timing mechanism according to the invention,

Figure 3 is a face view of the timing disc,

Figure 4 is a side elevation, partly in section, of an actuating device for the timing disc,

Figure 5 is an end view of Figure 4 looking in the direction of arrow A,

Figure 6 is a front elevation of a modified form of timing mechanism according to the invention, and

Figure 7 is a side elevation, partly in section, of Figure 6.

Referring to Figures 1 to 5, statistical record cards to be sorted are, in known manner, fed from a card magazine 1 to sensing mechanism 2 from which they are received by pairs of feed rollers 3, 4, Figure 2, arranged to feed them over dellectors 5 associated with receiving or sorting compartments 6, the card being delivered into that compartment the deector 5 for which has, as a result of the sensing operation performed on the card, been moved to a position at which it deects the card into the compartment. The operation of the deectors is determined by timing devices individual to each compartment, the timing devices being actuated by Bowden wires 7 under control of the sensing mechanism 2. Each of the timing devices is similarly constructed and it will therefore be sulicient to the understanding of the invention to describe only one such device.

The timing device comprises a rotatable member in the ICC form of a timing disc 8 secured to the timing shaft 9 of the machine for rotation therewith. Disposed around the disc at equi-spaced intervals are a plurality of supports or pivots 10 on which are pivotally mounted intermediate members 11 of substantially triangular shape, one of the corner portions 12 of each intermediate member acting as a cam to be engaged by a setting member 13. Each intermediate member is spaced from the disc by a spacing collar 14, Figure 2, surrounding its support 10.

Secured to each intermediate member is a pivot pin 15 on which is pivotally mounted a trip plate `16 provided with an outwardly pointing releasing finger 17. The trip plate 16 has a substantially L-shaped window 18 formed therein which co-operates with a guide pin 19 secured to the disc 8, and the intermediate member 11 is arranged to move the trip plate 16 relative to the guide pin against the action of a spring 20.

On the pivot pin 15 which extends from an intermediate member 11 is carried a shutter operating member 21 in the form of a roller adapted, when set by the intermediate member, to engage an operating arm 22 fixed to the deflector shaft 23 for the sorting compartment 6 with which the timing device is associated. The card defiectors 5 are secured to the deector shaft 23 for angular movement therewith.

The trip plate 16, intermediate member 11, and roller 21 are restored by the engagement of the releasing finger 17 with an abutment 24 which extends laterally from the operating arm 22 on the defiector shaft 23.

Secured to the machine frame is a bracket 25 having fixed thereto a housing 26 for the setting member 13. The setting member is formed by a plunger one end of which is arranged to be projected into the path of the intermediate members 11 to effect the operation of one of the intermediate members. The plunger 13 has a head 28 for engagement by an intermediate actuator in the form of a pusher 29, and an arcuate peripheral groove 30 is formed in the plunger between its head and the end thereof which is to operate the intermediate members.

Extending at right angles from the plunger housing 26 is a detent housing 31 arranged to contain a detent comprising a compression spring 32 and a steel ball 33, the ball being contained at the inner end of the detent housing to engage the plunger. The outer end of the detent housing is closed by a screw 34 by which the loading of the compression spring 32 can be adjusted. When the plunger 13 is in its restored or inactive position the ball 33 rests against the periphery of the inner end of the head of the plunger but when the plunger is moved to active position, as shown in Figure 4, the ball is located in the arcuate groove 30 to retain the plunger in its active position.

The pusher 29 for moving the plunger to active position is a bell-crank, pivoted at 35 to the bracket 25, of which one arm 29a is arranged to engage the head 28 of the plunger and the other arm 29b is disposed so that its free end may be engaged by a Bowden wire 7 actuated by a sensing member of the sensing mechanism 2 to impart an impulse to the plunger 13.

A plunger restoring member 36, Figures 2 and 3, is secured to a boss 37 extending outwards from the disc 8 and is provided with a plurality of restoring cams 38, one for each intermediate member 11. The restoring cams 38 are of substantially L-form and the shorter limbs are bent inwards to engage the end of the plunger, when this has been moved to active position, with a camming action which restores the plunger to its inactive position.

In operation, when the Bowden wire 7 associated with the timing device is actuated it rocks the J-shaped pusher 29 and thereby causes the plunger 13 to be moved to active position in which position it is retained by the spring controlled ball detent 33 which is then located in the arcuate groove 30 formed in the plunger. Thus, although due to the rate of operation of the sensing mechanism the load on the Bowden wire is removed before the plunger 13 has actuated an intermediate member 11 on its associated disc 8 the plunger 13 is retained in the active position to actuate the intermediate member 11 at the appropriate time.

When the plunger 13 has been moved to active position the cam portion 12 on the next intermediate member 11 to approach the plunger is engaged by the plunger so that the intermediate member is turned about its pivot pin 10 and moves its trip plate 16 and shutter operating roller 21 against the action of their controlling spring 20 and relative to the guide pin 19 associated with the trip plate as indicated in chain line in Figure 3. The guide pin 19 is then located in the shorter limb of the L-shaped window 18 thereby retaining the trip plate 16 and shutter operating roller in active position. Continued rotation of the disc 8 moves the active trip plate 16 and shutter operating roller 21 to a position at which the operating arm 22 is engaged by the roller so that the arm is rocked to move its associated deflector 5 and thereby to permit a card to be deliected into the compartment 6 associated therewith. This, as will be well understood, occurs just as the leading edge of the card from which the timing device has been set arrives over the sorting compartment associated with the timing device.

The rotation of the disc 8 is, as will be understood, continuous and as the releasing finger 17 on the active trip plate 16 passes the lateral abutment 24 on the operating arm it is engaged by the abutment so that the trip plate is moved thereby relative to its guide pin 19 and together with the shutter operating roller 21 and intermediate member 11 is restored to inactive position under thehaction of the controlling spring 20 associated therewit As the restoring cam 38 associated with the active intermediate member 11 passes the plunger 13 it engages the end of the plunger and moves it axially to its inactive position so that it is restored ready for operation by a further impulse from its associated Bowden wire 7.

Figures 6 and 7 show an alternative embodiment of the invention in which a timing device comprises a rotatable member in the form of a grooved flanged member 8a mounted on a spindle 39 fixed in the machine frame 40 the flanged member 8a being rotated by a worm 41 and worm wheel 42 from the timing shaft 9 of the machine.

The general construction of the apparatus is similar to that described in United States specification No. 2,034,010, the compartment 6 with which the timing device is associated being provided with a deilector operating arm 22a acting against the action of a spring 22b.

The flanged member 8a carries six settable shutter operating members in the form of pins 43, equally spaced apart disposed parallel to the axis of rotation of the anged member 8a. Each pin 43 has a head 44 projecting outwards from the anged member 8a adjacent the operating arm 22a, the head acting as a shutter operating member. At their opposite ends the pins 43 are of conical form 43a. The central portion of each pin 43 lying in the groove in the fianged member 8a is formed in the known manner with two grooves separated by a rib, and freely surrounding each pin 43 is a member 45 of double conical form having its concave surface disposed outwards. Surrounding all the members 45 is a bracelet spring 46.

The pins 43 act in the manner described in the aforesaid United States specifieation No. 2,034,010, to operate the defiectors 5, movement of the pins 43 to active position being effected by an intermediate member comprising a bell crank 47 pivoted on a stationary lug 48 and operated by a plunger 13 constructed as described above. In this embodiment of the invention, however, the plunger 13 is moved to its active position by an impulse from the sensing mechanism as the result of the direct engagement therewith of its assoicated Bowden wire 7. A restoring pin 50 positioned for free sliding movement in a suitable bore of lug or bracket 48, when the depending tail of the bell crank 47 is pushed by plunger 13 to the limit against said lug, Fig. 6, extends into the path of one of the cams 38 on the cam disc which revolves with the member 8a. At the same time the horizontal end of the bell crank 47, which has been out of the path of the pins 43, moves to the position shown in Fig. 6 and sets a pin 43 so that a shutter actuating arm 22a is operated. As the end of the bell crank passes the pin so set, a cam 38 retracts the pin 50 axially and rocks the bell crank to inoperative position. This action dislodges the detent ball through retraction of the plunger 13 by the depending tail of the bell crank 47.

I claim:

l. In a card sorting statistical machine, the combination with a Bowden wire and a revolvable timing disc including a shutter control member settable on a momentary impulse of said wire; of an annularly grooved plunger projectable into the path of said control member, a yieldable detent including a pressure spring and a ball for engagement with the groove for holding the plunger in projected position, support means for holding the plunger, the detent and the wire, a bell-crank pivoted on said support means between the wire and the plunger for conveying an impulse from the wire to project said plunger to detent held position whereby the wire can withdraw independently of said plunger, and cam means on said disc for restoring said plunger to a position out of the path of said control member.

2. In a machine for sorting statistical cards into a plurality of compartments upon the deilection of the shutters of the compartments and including Bowden wires actuable by sensing pins upon the sensing of the perforations of the statistical cards, the combination with a rotatable timing disc member including a plurality of trip means about the marginal surface thereof and each trip means being operable to effect the deflection of a related compartment shutter, of means for setting one of the trip means to shutter actuating position upon the actuation of a related Bowden wire by an associated sensing pin, said setting means comprising a housing including a bracket therefor, a bell crank pivoted to the bracket, one arm of the bell crank being adapted to rest upon the free end of the Bowden wire, a plunger engageable by the other arm of the bell crank carried for projectable movement in the housing, the free end of the Bowden wire being adapted upon actuation thereof by a sensing pin to pivot the bell crank to project the plunger through the housing, a head on one end of the plunger for limiting the extent of plunger projection, the head having a peripheral groove, detent means coacting with said groove for yieldably detaining the plunger in its projected position, the plunger in its projected position being adapted to set one of said trip means of the disc member to shutter deecting position, whereby upon the detention of the plunger in its projected position the load of the bell crank is removed upon completion of the sensing operation and the detent means serves to hold the plunger in a rigid position for the setting of the trip means, and cam blade means rotatable with the disc member and adapted to simultaneously release the detent means and to force the plunger back to its normal position momentarily after the said trip means has been set to operable position, and release nger means associated with the said trip means and cooperable with the shutter to restore the trip means to inoperative position upon further rotation of the disc member.

3. In a card sorting machine having a rotary timing disc and control pins extending from opopsite faces of the disc and mounted therein for axial movement; a restoring pin, a bell crank having one end movable to operatrve position With respect to said control pins and the other end movable by said restoring pin, a Bowden wire operated plunger for moving the bell crank to control pm operating position and restoring pin advancing position slmultaneously, a cam disc revolvable with said timmg disc and having a cam portion adjacent each of said control pins for moving the return pin axially to restore the bell crank to inoperative position, and detent means for yieldably holding said plunger in fully operated position when said Bowden wire is retracted.

4, In a card sorting machine having a rotary timing member and shutter operating members thereon movable to control the operation of card sorting shutters, means including a retractile thrust wire, a bell crank and plunger means for moving said shutter operating members to control position, a disc rotatable with said timing member and presenting cam portions for restoring the bell crank and plunger to inoperative position and a detent for engagement with said plunger means for yieldably holding the same in operative position after retractile movement of the thrust wire.

5. In a card sorting statistical machine, the combination with a Bowden wire and a revolvable timing disc including shutter control members settable on a momentary thrust of said wire; means for setting the shutter control members including a bell crank, an annularly grooved plunger and a yieldable detent including a pressure spring and ball for engagement with the groove for holding the plunger in operative position when the Bowden wire is retracted, and cam means movable with said disc for restoring the plunger to inoperative position.

References Cited in the le of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,502,993 Lasker July 29, 1924 2,034,010 Thomas Mar. 17, 1936 2,217,342 Ladrach Oct. 2, 1940 2,363,577 Dexter Nov. 28, 1944 2,400,507 Henszey May 21, 1946 2,492,664 Seipos Dec. 27, 1949 

